Java (february 12th - 13th 1942)
Instead of moving those mediocre ABDA bombers out of the harms way I ordered them to stay put. The idea behind this was to consume his CAP and AA guns. It worked out ok since they did flew in quite a few missions.
The damage done was pretty much non-existant but they opened the way for our dive/torpedo bombers. I didn't engage with Hurricanes neither in initial landing day.
Highlight of the turn came when an somewhat organized group took off and headed towards KB...
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Morning Air attack on TF, near Kalidjati at 52,99
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 25
Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 2
Hurricane IIa Trop x 14
Hurricane IIb Trop x 7
Swordfish I x 4
Vildebeest III x 13
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Hurricane IIa Trop: 2 destroyed
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed
Swordfish I: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
Vildebeest III: 4 destroyed, 3 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
CV Kaga, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
Aircraft Attacking:
5 x Vildebeest III launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
4 x Swordfish I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
1 x Albacore I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
I think CV Kaga is in bigtime trouble. Keep in mind that CV Zuikaku and CV Soryu were hit few turns back. I doubt they were sunk but CV Kaga might be an diffrent story.
The combat report indicated that CV Kaga launched some CAP fighters after this turn of events though.
The surface TF that I send to intervene did good job too...
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Kalidjati at 50,99, Range 9,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Nagara
CL Kinu
DD Yukikaze
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Yamakaze, Shell hits 1
DD Kawakaze
DD Umikaze
DD Suzukaze, Shell hits 1
DD Hibiki
DD Nokaze
DD Namikaze, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Numakaze
Allied Ships
CL Sumatra
CL Ceres
DD Stuart
DD Evertsen, Shell hits 1
DD Scout
DD Stronghold
DD Tenedos
DD Electra
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Kalidjati at 51,99, Range 7,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DMS W-3
SC Ch 8
AK Sagami Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
AK Kyushu Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
LSD Shinshu Maru, Shell hits 16, heavy fires
xAP Tatsuta Maru
xAP Kamakura Maru
xAP Terukuni Maru
xAP Katori Maru
xAP Husimi Maru
xAP Suwa Maru
xAP Kokuryu Maru
xAP Mizuho Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
xAP Kitano Maru, Shell hits 3
xAP Kamo Maru
xAP Kongo Maru
xAP Kobe Maru
xAP Ural Maru
xAP Baikal Maru
xAP Kasado Maru
xAP Kowa Maru, Shell hits 1
xAP Palau Maru, Shell hits 2
xAP Naminoue Maru, Shell hits 1
Allied Ships
CL Sumatra
CL Ceres
DD Stuart
DD Evertsen
DD Scout
DD Stronghold
DD Tenedos, Shell hits 1
DD Electra
I did order an ground assault againts his troops at Palembang. I figured the fatigue/distruption levels were sky high but it seems not to be...
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Ground combat at Palembang (48,91)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 8198 troops, 89 guns, 9 vehicles, Assault Value = 365
Defending force 6615 troops, 64 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 211
Allied adjusted assault: 82
Japanese adjusted defense: 319
Allied assault odds: 1 to 3
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
246 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
1040 casualties reported
Squads: 27 destroyed, 55 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 64 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Assaulting units:
Riouw KNIL Battalion
9th Indian Division
Zuid KNIL Battalion
Padang Garrison Battalion
So.Sumatra Garrison Battalion
7th RAA Coastal Artillery Regiment
48th Gurkha Brigade
Padang Base Force
Palembang Base Force
Defending units:
55th Infantry Regiment
56th Infantry Regiment
That didn't go as planned for sure.
Den Passar airfield was hit hard too with LBA bombers. We did lose few bombers and escorts but managed to do noteworthy damage to the enemy airfield here.
To recap a lot gun powder and sorties here in past few days...
